


Beard Burn

by fortnightsofren



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, rexsoka - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, NSFW, TCW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 22:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14482455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortnightsofren/pseuds/fortnightsofren
Summary: The Captain has a beard. The Commander has beard burn. When Torrent Company jumps to conclusions, how will Fives take action?





	Beard Burn

_**BEARD BURN** _

Word Count: 1,853

Era: TCW

Pairings: Rex and Ahsoka

Warning: rated M for nsfw themes

 

The Commanding Officer was a clean cut man. He abided by the rules and enforced them the way he was trained to do. He was well liked and Jesse considered him a good friend; a bigger brother even though he was younger. Rex guided them and still managed to have fun with them. Torrent Company loved him. However, after Umbara, Captain Rex was not the same man. After Krell, after Hardcase, he just became different; became more unorthodox. Jesse wasn’t the only one who noticed either, Fives asked about it and so did Tup. He wasn’t as strict or as enforcing of the rules. They weren’t the most important things in his life anymore; Jesse wondered what was.

He had to fight his naturally vocal nature and not flat out ask the Captain politely what the _kark_ had relaxed him?

Even his hair was getting a longer leash. It was no longer freshly buzzed and there was no longer blonde remnants in the sinks. His clean face now resembled Jesse’s with a five o’clock shadow. His walk wasn’t as pronounced all of the time, but rather it was laid back. What had prompted him to break out of that rigorous conditioning? Surely, it was just his way of _coping_. Kriff, Jesse had picked up some bad habits himself. He wasn’t too proud of his inability to detonate anymore. Given, Hardcase loved it so much he went that way. Jesse looked away now.

There was a new atmosphere within the 501st and while Jesse liked it, it was unnerving.

Fives gave him a clap on the shoulder and left with Kix to the barracks, sporting a fresh bandage on his calf. Jesse stayed behind, waiting for his captain outside. The Coruscanti air was warm and held the breeze he quite liked, making it suitable to talk with the captain.

It had been a while before he’d actually showed up, and the sky had waned into a deeper blue. Jesse kicked his leg from resting on the pillars and gave an acknowledgement of the fingers to Rex, “Sir.”

He received the look he sought and the man across from him stopped. “Jesse,” he replied and waited, “What is it?”

“I like the facial hair,” he commented and stroked his own chin with a playful grin.

Rex’s chin scar was covered, so it didn’t stretch when he smiled, “Get some rest, Jesse.” A clap to the back and a pull to follow him into the barracks ended the night.

 

* * *

 

The Resolute was as frigid as ever. Jesse almost considered letting his hair grow out as well, but it would cover his sick tattoo. Still, he refused to rub his arms for warmth. He and Tup were walking side by side in the corridors, heading away from the cafeteria. The food was just warmed and disarranged ration bars.

Their comms units were quieted, so they carried their conversation within the confines of their buckets. Tup was really good at not looking at Jesse so as to not give away that they were, for lack of better word, gossiping.

“Do you keep your hair up in the bucket or down?” he blurted.

Tup was at a genuine loss of words, “Why do you ask?”

A sound of discontentment came from the other trooper, “Well I mean doesn’t it bother you?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

They walked a few steps more, without any real destination, before Tup spoke again.

He hummed and then settled on words, “The Captain’s hair is longer. It looks really soft. I hope he grows it out more.”

Jesse looked over to the trooper in disbelief, “Um, it’s very strange, yes.” Tup made no other comment, so he continued, “He’s got a killer beard. It suits him, but then again it doesn’t. It concerns me.”

Tup hummed again and Jesse gave up trying to look for another opinion and just opted to speak his thoughts. He grunted in exasperation, “This is unlike the Captain. I mean, have we seen him at all? No, we haven’t. If this were a normal situation, we wouldn’t be walking around the karkin’ Resolute without a purpose. This isn’t procedure. If bossing us around isn’t at the top of Rex’s list, then what is? The man hasn’t shaved and he walks different. It’s like walking out of Umbara did something to him that it didn’t do to the rest of us. This isn’t a good change. He doesn’t seem to care about his position as much as he did before Krell. You know? I didn’t think I’d ever say it, but I want him to bark out his orders and keep the stick in his rear. Who decided to pull it out?”

Tup kept with his humming.

They rounded yet another white corner and instead of being met with an empty white hall, they were met with an orange face.

“Oh forgive me, Jesse, Tup. I wasn’t watching where I was going,” apologized their commander.

Jesse switched his comm back on, “It’s no trouble, Commander. If you don’t mind, Tup and I are in need of something to do. Captain Rex hasn’t yet given us a purpose.”

He eyed the jedi intently. She seemed slightly frantic. Was he just imagining that? Had they caught her at a bad time? Her eyes darted around and tried to avoid his gaze, through the bucket, but still. Her chin was a darker shade of orange than it was usually, it looked red. It looked like the burn the skin can get from rubbing against scruffy hair. He knew this, because it happened to him frequently. His hands were irritated a lot from sitting near his beard.

“ㅡshould be able to help them out in there,” he only heard her say.

Jesse thanked her and bid her a ‘sir’ and kept walking with Tup, trusting that he knew where they were meant to go. For a moment, he was still stuck on why Ahsoka was so brief and so red. Togruta don’t usually blush on the chin, but the lekku, he knew thanks to Kix. Then it clicked, Ahsoka had beard burn. He was mentally freaking out.

Whose beard was she rubbing up against? He almost thought it was Rex, due to his most recent behavior, but then discarded the idea. Rex may be less strict, but there’s no way he’d have relations with the kid. She was a _kid_. She was the _Commander_. If there’s one other person in the 501st that would break a rule like that, with a beard, it would be Fives. Yeah, it was definitely Fives. The di’kut would try and rut with her. He couldn’t say he was surprised, but he didn’t think it would’ve been Commander Tano. Come to think of it, he’s complimented her before. He’s mentioned togruta before. Oh, he was gonna talk to him.

 

* * *

 

“Fives!” Jesse shouted from the venting room. It made sense now as to why it was so cold, the ventilation system was in need of repairs.

The man attempted to rise upon hearing his name, but hit his head on the machine he was underneath. He wheeled himself out to meet Jesse, “Present.”

“I saw the Commander just now,” he stated firmly, pressing his feet into the floor.

Fives furrowed his brows and looked around, “And?”

Jesse huffed, “Her chin, she has beard burn. Care to explain?”

“No fuckin’ shit, “he cursed. Fives quite liked the words that General Skywalker liked. He argued that Mando’a just didn’t have a wide enough vocabulary. “Listen vod, I didn’t do it if that’s what you’re implying.” He reached for his wrench and prepared to leave his station.

Jesse was quiet and began to mentally come apart. There’s no way. It couldn’t have been. Rex wouldn’t. “Come on,” he ushered and fled the venting room with Fives on his heels.

 

* * *

 

Each of the men were astonished. So it was Rex and not Fives.

“How long do you think?” Tup asked, now interested in what was going on.

“Since Umbara would be my guess,” Kix chimed in.

That explained why he’d been so off. Commander Tano was his top priority.

Fives laughed and threw his head back, “Fuckin’ shit! He’s fucked her.”

Eyes glared at him, asking for more of an explanation. Rex couldn’t have. Were they even allowed to? Jedi weren’t, as far as he knew. All he’d heard of was the attachment piece.

“He’s fucked her. That’s why he’s acting different. Think, if he just made out with her he’d be fine. But no, I think he’s walking to a different beat here,” elaborated an entertained Fives.

Jesse added, “He’s also kind of gotten a reputation of ‘most handsome clone’.”

Tup nodded at that comment, “Yeah, he’s got that rugged look now that he’s not sporting a clean shave. I bet she’s all over that. She doesn’t have any hair.” That logic sat well with the men and they went to go find their captain.

While walking the corridors, they forgot to silence their comms out of pure excitement.

“Kriff, what if her beard burn isn’t from making out with the Captain, but ratherㅡ,” Jesse hinted.

The men roared with laughter.

Tup choked out, “If Rex hasn’t tended to his face, what else is he neglecting?”

Fives almost doubled over from his intense laughter. Jesse was sure tears had fallen at least from all the laughing that the man was doing.

Kix vouched for her at least, “I don’t think Commander Tano would do that.”

They passed the hall where the quarters were situated and their jokes were swallowed with their ongoing distance. Anakin had to return to his assigned room. Breath fell heavily from his mouth and he heaved. His sixteen-year-old padawan was sporting beard burn? And from Rex? No. Impossible. If any two people followed the rules to a ‘t’ it was them. A nervous noise fell from his mouth and he began to have a panic attack. Not Ahsoka. Not Rex. No.

 

* * *

 

Rounding another corner, they decided to keep their voices down, fearful that someone may stop them. Before they went on to the next area, however, Jesse stopped. From this, each of the men behind him bumped into his back in a domino effect. No one fell.

“Watch it,” Tup began to complain before Jesse silenced him.

He put a finger on his bucket to where his mouth would be and motioned for them to follow him. Jesse crouched down low and made room for the vode to see. Captain Rex had Commander Tano pinned up against the wall. His arm was over her head as an act of dominance and he was kissing her forcefully. All she did was comply. That explained the beard burn. Her hands were pulling at his short hairs and his other hand left her hip. It grabbed the underside of her thigh and allowed the Commander to wrap herself around his waist. The Captain began to lift her skirt and Jesse looked away.

“Fuckin’ shit,” Fives whispered.


End file.
